Planet Normal

As Prime Minister Keir Starmer celebrates a turbulent 5 months in office by eventually turning on the Downing Street Christmas lights, co-Pilot Pearson celebrates reaching new records in her weight-loss journey. But elsewhere there is less reason to be joyous with the oncoming news woes. Both your co-pilots question the need for the PM to ‘re-launch’ his government, whilst the rocket’s resident ec...

The campaign for free speech on the rocket has been a runaway success with no signs of slowing down. This week your co-pilots tackle a bulging mail bag with a Planet Normal Email special reading out some of your reactions to Allison’s victory for free speech. They also deliver their verdict on Chancellor Rachel Reeves’s latest economic moves and the Labour party's most recent promises to ‘fix the...

It’s been one helluva week on the rocket for co-pilot Pearson, as she describes the ‘news tsunami’ that has crashed through her life. Your co-pilots talk through the reaction to Allison’s story and discuss the principle of free speech in this country. Also boarding the rocket to discuss his new book, ‘What went Wrong with Capitalism’, is author Dr Ruchir Sharma who lays out his solution to the rel...

In wake of co-pilot Pearson’s shock visit from the police on Remembrance Sunday, the rocket reflects on the principle of free speech in our country. Allison explains what happens when the journalist becomes the story… Elsewhere Liam gives his take on why the Harris campaign failed to reach many voters in the US election after his trip across the pond last week. Also Joining your co-pilots on the r...

Co-pilot Pearson is off on a special mission this week so Liam is joined in the cockpit by resident part time co-pilot, Tim Stanley. As the news breaks of Donald Trump’s victory in the US Liam and Tim dissect the news tsunami from across the pond. As the rest of the world comes to terms with what just happened, Tim describes why we shouldn’t be that surprised at the result, and Liam gives his econ...

As Labour unveils their first budget in 14 years, the rocket beams in for a bumper Budget special with not one but two stowaways! But what do the rocket’s incumbents make of Chancellor Rachel Reeves’s first big fiscal challenge. Former Prime Minister Liz Truss explains why she thinks Chancellor Rachel Reeves might have ‘turbo charged taxes’ and could be about to ‘crash the car into the wall’. Chie...

This episode was recorded live at the Battle of Ideas Festival in London on 20th October 2024 In this very special episode of Planet Normal, the rocket beams in live from the Battle of Ideas Festival featuring not one, but two very special stowaways.. Sociologist and social commentator, Professor Frank Furedi shares his thoughts on how we can tackle what he calls the ‘madness’ of political correct...

The countdown to Labour's first Budget is on, but what do your co-pilots make of the new Chancellor's plans? Brace yourselves it's another news Tsunami… Liam isn’t convinced Labour’s plan for growth will strengthen up the public finances and believes a more prudent approach to spending is needed. Allison agrees and is concerned if they increase National Insurance on employers it will lead to less...

Fresh from a shock elimination in the Tory leadership race, your co-pilots deliver their verdict on the latest results from the now two horse race. And did co-pilot Pearson really influence the result? One year on from the shocking 7th October attack in Israel, the rocket reflects on Allison’s recent dispatch to Israel and welcomes Brendan O’Neill into the cockpit. Brendan’s new book ‘A fter the P...

The rocket beams in live from the Tory Party Conference in Birmingham this week and there’s no shortage of melodrama to dissect as the Party gears up to elect its new leader. Fastening their seat belt alongside your co-pilots this week is leadership contender and previous stowaway, Robert Jenrick MP for Newark, who shares his hopes for the party should he win the contest. Liam gives the rocke...

**Some of Alison's reporting contains descriptions you may find distressing With Conference season in full swing, what do your co-pilots make of the PM’s latest speech slip up at the Party’s Conference? Liam thinks Starmer’s speech failed to set the room alight as much as previous Labour PM Tony Blair would have done. And Allison shares some moving observations from her recent trip to Israel. Also...

Strapping into the rocket of right thinking this week for a Planet Normal exclusive is Tory leadership hopeful Tom Tugendhat who shares the reasons why he thinks he can carry the party back to power in five years, and why he wants to get the selection process completed as soon as possible to lead an effective opposition. Whilst co-pilot Pearson is doing some on the ground reporting in Israel, temp...

Autumn is slowly coming into view on the rocket of right thinking and the words on everyone’s lips are ‘winter fuel payments’. Labour won their round in the Commons but your co-pilots aren’t impressed with the party’s latest policy decisions. The Chancellor claims this decision is for the good of the economy, however Liam thinks that it doesn’t match up with the economy’s recent growth rate. Whils...

It’s back to school and back to parliament so the co pilots have their news notes at the ready! Your co-pilots discuss the Tory leadership vote and analysis from the Phase 2 Grenfell Inquiry report.  Liam places previous rocket stowaway Kemi Badenoch as a favourite to take over the Conservative party whereas Allison thinks the party needs to capitalise on Labour’s current position and el...

As co-pilot Pearson makes a triumphant return to the rocket, sunkissed and well rested, there is no short of madness orbiting the rocket. But has the UK really gone back to the 70s? Allison thinks the PM’s Rose Garden speech was ‘tone deaf’ and with things only set to get worse, in the words of the PM, co pilot Halligan delivers some sobering economic predictions for the upcoming budget. Strapping...

As co-pilot Pearson circles Heathrow waiting for clearance to land, Liam is joined by Planet Normal Cosmonaut Supreme, Baroness Claire Fox. There's been much madness to dissect since the rocket's last orbit. How is the new Labour government handling the Summer chaos? Claire is frustrated that the Tory leadership contest seems to be leaving the country without a strong opposition and that it might...

As summer comes to a close on Planet Normal, in this the third and final of the three part best of the rocket series, our co-pilots take a look back at some of their most explosive voyages on the rocket of right thinking from the year so far. In March, the co-pilots interviewed author and filmmaker Martin Durkin about his latest film Climate The Movie - The Cold Truth. The film takes issue with wh...

Summer continues on Planet Normal! In this, the second of the three part best of the rocket series, our co-pilots take a look back at some of their most explosive voyages on the rocket of right thinking from the year so far. In January Liam interviewed legendary former frontman of The Undertones, turned water campaigner, Feargal Sharkey. As well as discussing the state of the UK’s waterways Liam a...

Joining Liam for a very special Planet Normal exclusive interview is the front-runner in the race to succeed Rishi Sunak as Conservative leader, Kemi Badenoch. Fresh from announcing her bid, the MP for North West Essex joins Liam to discuss immigration, trade deals and how she thinks she can take the party forwards as leader of the opposition. Also joining them is former Tory MP for Bournemouth Co...

It’s summer on Planet Normal so in this the first of the three part best of the rocket series, our co-pilots take a look back at some of their most explosive voyages on the rocket of right thinking from the year so far. Back in January, just after the realities of the Post Office Scandal had come to the fore courtesy of a hard-hitting ITV drama, Allison spoke to an anonymous insider from Fujitsu,...

The rocket blasts off for a final voyage before its summer break but there’s no shortage of madness to navigate before then. What did your co-pilots make of Keir Starmer’s first outing at Prime Minister’s Questions? Not to mention the political developments from across the pond.. Allison isn’t impressed with the front runners in the Conservative party leadership contest. Nor the Labour party’s two...

Joining Liam in the cockpit this week for a very special extended interview is Professor Matthew Goodwin.  As the rocket blasts into a new political era with a Labour government at the helm, Matthew explains why he thinks Keir Starmer’s party could be unpopular very quickly, and debates with Liam how the Conservative Party could pull back a vital share of voters that they lost to Reform UK. O...

After a Labour landslide win (as predicted by your co-pilots) the rocket orbits into a new political galaxy, but is it the same old madness? Allison delivers some hard truths to the Conservative party whom she thinks deserve ‘oblivion’ should they fail to come to the ‘correct conclusion’ on their new leader. Whereas Liam thinks the Tories need to take their time when deciding their next leader and...

This episode of Planet Normal was recorded on Wednesday the 3rd July before the polls opened for the general election. Six weeks of election campaigning have come to an end and what a campaign it has been, with no shortage of political gaffes on either side of the Channel as the first round of voting in France has National Rally, formerly headed by Marine LePen, on the cusp of power and Macron’s g...

The temperature is heating up on the rocket this week, as the whole country basks in a heatwave but is the election shade being thrown threatening to spoil your co-pilots fun in the sun? Allison spills the beans on her trip to the campaign trail with Reform UK Leader, Nigel Farage and claims that, in her view, a vote for the party isn’t a wasted one. Whilst Liam is worried about the potential judi...